Pushing It
by DoubleL27
Summary: Adam Banks has always pushed himself to be the best and it usually puts him at the top, but now Adam may be pushing himself a bit to hard and ignoring things that he shouldn't. Focus on Adam&Julie of course with the rest of the Ducks and their lives thro
1. Chapter 1

Alright, this isn't my first foray into fanfic, I've been snared for nearly two years now, but this is my first foray into The Mighty Ducks. It comes from my obsessive nature towards the movies, and the fact that I have two younger siblings which are the perfect guise for renting them to this day.  
  
Anyway, this fic has been rolling around in my head for ages, as I've been writing fic in my mind since before I knew it existed. I will admit that the paring Adam/Julie was the first I made an active choice about in any fandom. I couldn't help myself when I was a kid, and still can't.  
  
Hope you enjoy. Please remember to leave a review, they mean the world to me.  
  
Laura  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
This weekend's game was one of the biggest they had ever played. Austin Prep was the only team that the Ducks had lost to since becoming varsity and now they had to beat them to advance in the State finals. This was exceptionally important game for Adam Banks, scouts were showing up and it being his senior year they were more important now than ever. Sure he had received a few bids already, but it was important to get . Not to mention his father was showing up. Yeah it was a big game.  
  
Adam's gaze traveled back down to his work, but it didn't seem to seep in. His mind kept referring back to the game and how he was going to play. His strategy had to be excellent, flawless.  
  
"Banks!"  
  
Adam was startled by the shout, but kept his chair from tipping over. He looked up into the eyes of his girlfriend. "Hey Jules."  
  
Julie pursed her lips as Adams gaze focused on some point across the room and she knew he was seeing a hockey rink complete with players, especially him; same reason she had to result to screaming his last name to get his attention a few moments ago. She shook his shoulder causing him to focus on her again. "Adam, you're going to do fine," Julie said as Adam pulled her down into his lap. It was way too easy to worry about him, especially when he was this focused. He had the ability to lose himself when he did.  
  
"It's an important game if we want to stay undefeated. Everyone is counting on me."  
  
"No one counts on you on the ice as much as you count on yourself." She smiled at the words and the look that he was giving her that clearly meant "what are you on right now?" "I mean we count on you, you're not the best for nothing, but don't put yourself too far okay?"  
  
"Julie there are going to be scouts there, and my father," he added making it sound like an afterthought, when really it was the prominent one.  
  
Julie sighed and wished she could just take the time and punch out Philip Banks, but that wasn't an option. "And you. Look Adam, all you can do is play your best, no one asks any more of you but you and your father. Just promise me if anything goes wrong, even marginally so, you'll let me know. I don't need you killing yourself for this."  
  
Adam quirked an eyebrow as a hint of a smile crossed his face. "No?"  
  
"How am I going to get a scholarship without a winning team?" she asked him with a laugh, unable to be serious about the line.  
  
Adam scowled a bit and pulled her closer to him. "Funny," he muttered, pressing his lips to her cheek.  
  
Julie relaxed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled back to look at him, pretending to be nonchalant. "I'm also kinda attached to my boyfriend."  
  
"Yeah?" Adam asked, his smile getting wider as he leaned into kiss her. She turned her head away and  
  
"Well, lets check this wrist out to start," Julie said, picking up his right wrist, which he had injured years ago at the Junior Goodwill games. She massaged it a bit, feeling for injuries. "Feels fine but you're too tense," she said, dropping his wrist and finally letting him kiss her.  
  
"If you have any suggestions on relaxation, I'm open," Adam said, a dangerous glint in his eyes as his hands traveled up his girlfriend's muscular body.  
  
Julie shook her head at him as she picked up on exactly what he was thinking. "Not what you're thinking."  
  
Adam gave her his signature smile, the one that had always gotten to her. "Come on, it will be an endurance test."  
  
"Nice try cake eater." She took herself out of his lap, boys were all the same, and hers considered himself to be deprived. "How about a movie?" she asked, hoping to distract Adam for the incessant worries about the upcoming game.  
  
Adam glanced down at his work, nearly saying no so that he could finish, but he knew he wouldn't do anymore tonight. His two options were thinking about hockey or snuggling on a common room couch with his girlfriend, pretending to watch movie. Girlfriend won tonight. "Sure," he said, letting out a small groan as he stood.  
  
Concern instantly entered Julie's eyes, and Adam wondered why she seemed to think he wasn't able take care of himself. "You alright?"  
  
"Yeah," he said quickly, before giving her a sheepish grin. "Maybe I was working a bit too hard."  
  
She grinned and threw her hands over her head. "Look at that, he listens!"  
  
"You're being melodramatic. Are we watching a movie or not?"  
  
The movie was on the screen before them, and Adam couldn't tell you what was going on. Well he could as Ronnie and Julie was one of Julie's favorite movies, had been for years. She only gave the token protest that Julie could have been a hockey player instead of a figure skater. It was better then Ever After, and other such stuff, considering Julie was a closet romantic, it was their little secret.  
  
But currently, the action on the ice only dragged him back to the upcoming game. He could visualize every play, every move, every shot, his and the other players. That didn't even account for surprises.  
  
Julie hit him on the shoulder and glared "You're not even pretending to pay attention."  
  
Adam was dragged back from his thoughts of the set up he and Guy had planned to look at his girlfriend. "Hmm?"  
  
Julie snorted and rolled her eyes, as she pushed her way out of his arms and stood. "My point exactly. Come on."  
  
Adam grinned and his arms circled her waist from behind as he caught up. "So you've warmed up to my relaxation ideas?" he asked, nibbling on her ear a bit.  
  
Julie had different ideas, elbowing him lightly and walking a few feet away and turning "Nope, another one of my own. Get your gear, if you're so worried then play with me, for fun," She said stressing the last two words "We'll see how often you can score."  
  
"On ice, several times, but off the ice you seem to keep blocking all of my attempts."  
  
Julie merely gave him the 'I know I'm superior grin.' "It's cause I'm the best," she said, before walking away for her dorm room. "On the ice in twenty Banks."  
  
"You got it Gaffney."  
Once they were suited up and both out on the ice Adam felt a sense of calm come over him. He was never tense on the ice, on the ice was easy, it was everything else that led to the tenseness off the ice. These were the moments he liked to treasure, gliding across the ice him and the puck, and of course the enemy. He smirked a bit at that, watching Cat skate out to the goal, suited up in her old Bangor uniform.  
  
"Are you just going to skate around the puck or are you going to start taking shots at me?" Juile asked through her helmet as she watched Adam focus on the puck.  
  
"Remember you asked for it," Adam said lightly as he let his stick hit the puck for the first time and headed for Julie at the goal.  
  
"Excellent game, fifteen goals is impressive, especially against me."  
  
Adam gave her a look. "Out of how many shots?"  
  
Julie smiled with pride as she laid her helmet and gloves on top of the goal. "I wasn't keeping count, but they were up there. You'll do fine. I'm thinking if we kept you on the ice up until game time you'd be fine."  
  
Adam took her hand and began to skate backwards, pulling her along with him. "No see, game plus scouts, plus my dad, is not relaxing. Out here with you, most definitely," he said smoothly as he came to a stop.  
  
With a talent he had learned from a year of dating Julie, he pulled her close and kissed her. As usual positioning was odd due to being on skates and all the gear, but it was no less enjoyable then always.  
  
The sound of tisking off to the side finally broke them apart. They looked up to see Goldberg and Averman looking at them with the same disapproving looks Orion would be making if he'd caught them. "Macking on the ice," Goldberg said with a sigh. "It's a wonder we win any games with this kind of thing going on."  
  
Adam turned to look at them, keeping an arm around Julie's waist, and holding her close. "She's helping me relax."  
  
Averman grinned down at them goofily. "The Cat-a-nator is busily seducing our prime player. Working for the enemy catlady?"  
  
Julie narrowed her eyes and looked quite like a cat ready to pounce. "You want to be stuffed in my goal, because we can have that arranged."  
  
Goldberg tapped a finger to his chin as if considering. "Cat lady is on to an idea. We could tie him to a goal, and get Fulton and Russ down here to take shots. Not to mention having Banksie and Germaine firing. Whatdya say buddy?" he asked, turning to Averman and thumping him on the back.  
  
Averman turned to Goldberg and pointed. "You, my friend, are sick and twisted."  
  
"Comes from being tied to the goal when I was ten and left there. And you, you my bestest friend, you left with the rest of them."  
  
As much as he loved the guys, Adam was curious as to why they were down by the ice. He was one of the few people who would be on the ice this late without reason, just as his girlfriend was one of the few people who would come with him. "Why are you two down here?"  
  
"No one could find you two, but when there were no odd sounds coming from Adam's or your room, we figured you guys could only be on the ice."  
  
"Doing the same thing on the ice you would be in a bedroom."  
  
"Making out in hockey gear?" Adam asked jokingly, making his face completely blank. "I'd like to think I'm better than that."  
  
Julie moved back a bit and whispered in his ear, "It's always been my dream to strip you from the hockey gear."  
  
Adam couldn't stop himself from smiling at that revelation. "Mine too. We'll have to do something about that."  
  
"Cake eater has gone back to being dreamy," Goldberg quipped from his spot in the stands.  
  
"Let us pause for a collective Aww," Averman said, raising his hands in the air as if he was ready to cue an entire stadium. "On three now. One, two-- "  
  
Julie looked up, and Adam could tell she was pissed that they were still there. "Was there any reason people were looking for us?"  
  
"Emergency team meeting. Something about idiot one and idiot two not speaking to each other," Goldberg grumbled. "Neither of them are invited. And as you Cat lady room with idiot two, your presence is necessary."  
  
Julie sighed, thinking about Connie and Guy's not so nice break up and the tension that had ensued. "Alright, we'll be up in a few."  
  
"Don't get lost."  
  
"In the showers," Averman finished gleefully wiggling his eyebrows. 


	2. Chapter 2

Wow. Ten reviews, color me shocked. I have never received so many reviews so quickly, and it was a wonderful thing to see, I'm glad you're all enjoying it. Adam, I will get to where Charlie and Adam are friend-wise later, but this chapter was just about all written and I liked it the way it was, but I will get to that. It is finals time for me here at school, so excuse me if I'm not so quick with the updates. I am loving this story and the fact that you guys are too.  
  
Hope you enjoy. Keep replying, they mean the world to me.  
  
Laura  
  
Ch 2  
  
The next morning Julie and Connie were in their room, each sitting on their respective beds attempting to discuss the current state of affairs between Connie and Guy since their breakup at the beginning of the season.  
  
"Explain this to me one more time," Julie said looking across the room at her best friend. "You decide to end it, breaking his heart, and because he won't speak to you, you won't make the first move?"  
  
Connie let out a groan and collapsed on top of her bed. "If I speak to him, he won't move on. Guy is a lot of things, able to let go of anything is not one of them."  
  
"He's not moving on now," Julie pointed out.  
  
"That isn't my fault," Connie cried out angrily, sitting up and glaring at Julie. "I'm 17 Julie, I've been with him since I was nine. So I want to experience the world, is that a crime?"  
  
Julie sighed. She knew she had no clue what Connie and Guys relationship had been like for all of that time. Eight years, most couples were lucky if they made it to one. "No. I'm sorry. I just.. I hate seeing you two like this."  
  
Connie tilted her head downwards and started busily playing with the comforter. "Me too. Trust me."  
  
They sat in silence for a few more moments before Julie stood and grabbed her warm winter jacket off of the back of her desk chair. "Okay, I've got to go." She paused and turned back to Connie. "You going to be alright?"  
  
"Yeah. Where are you off to? We don't have classes today. We're hopping on a bus."  
  
"I know." Julie gave her roommate a small smile. "I told Jesse to let Adam oversleep."  
  
Connie's eyes widened in surprise. Julie was known to pull a stunt or two, everyone on the team was, but Julie had never gone so far out of her way to meddle, usually it was like their conversation, face to face. "Adam is going to kill you."  
  
"Hopefully not."  
  
"I'll pray for your soul."  
  
"Thanks," Julie called out before shutting the door. Hopefully Connie was very, very, wrong.  
  
~*~  
  
Julie sprinted across campus, hoping that Adam hadn't woken up yet and pushed his way out of the door. Knowing Adam, there was a good chance that it had happened. She shook her head and thought about what she was pulling. She usually let Adam go on his own, didn't mess with his world like this, distract him a bit sure. But. something was off.  
  
She knocked softly on the door, and it was whipped open to reveal Jesse Hall on the other side. "He's still asleep."  
  
"I told you he was exhausted," Julie said, quietly entering the room quietly. She held back a sigh as she took a peek at her boyfriend stretched out restlessly on his bed. "Look at him Jesse, he looks so pale."  
  
Jessie glanced at his friend and back to Julie. "Come on Cat, Cake-Eater does this all the time. He works himself to near death and doesn't admit defeat. It's one of the reasons I respect him and like him so much. You think I'd live with him if he wasn't so driven, or neat?" Jesse asked with a smirk.  
  
Julie glanced at Jesse and she could tell that he was merely willing to humor her for the sake of his sanity. "Anyway, thanks for letting him sleep in."  
  
"Sleep?" Adam asked, stirring, and Julie realized it was a miracle that he had slept this late. "How late is it? Shit," he swore as he took a peek at the clock and realized it was heading towards noon.  
  
Jesse grabbed his bag and headed for the door. "I've got to go. Good luck Gaffney," he said with a smile, abandoning her with Adam, who was looking increasingly pissed.  
  
"Julie I cannot believe you asked Jess to let me sleep in," he said angrily, pulling on pants while glaring at her. "I had things to do."  
  
Julie had been prepared for this and was instantly on the defensive. "Like what?" she asked grabbing the shirt out of his hands. "You don't have classes, you don't have practice, you've done most of your work and seem dead set on killing yourself. So I forced you take a luxury which you wouldn't have otherwise, but you needed it."  
  
Adam snatched the shirt back, completely shut down against anything she was going to throw at him. It was a coping mechanism he used all too often. "Thanks, but I've got to go now."  
  
Julie dove in front of him and took him by the shoulders. He may have had a few inches on her, but she was just about as strong. "Adam. Stop for a moment, and just stand still. You don't need to go run drills."  
  
Adam pulled back out of her grip still scowling. "That wasn't what I was going to do," he said, leaning over his desk and flipping through a notebook.  
  
"Sure it wasn't," Julie said, rolling her eyes. "You were only going for your stick."  
  
His head quickly shifted up to look at her. "Wasn't it you that said I should just stay on the ice until game time?" he asked angrily, straightening and reaching around her to grab the stick.  
  
"Adam!" She reached out and grabbed him by the back of the shirt, causing him to turn around. Julie wasn't about to back down from any kind of fight, especially when she was right. Sort of. "Adam, please, just stay here with me. We can relax together."  
  
"I'm not really in the mood." Adam stopped and sighed. He knew Julie; when she was focused on something that was it. "You were wrong."  
  
"I'm sorry alright. Wrong thing for the right reasons." She turned back to him and laid a hand on his . "I'm not allowed to worry about you?"  
  
"I.." Adam sighed and closed his hand over hers. "It's just this game is key alright. I'll relax afterwards."  
  
"Playoffs are afterwards."  
  
"Look, in a less than two months hockey season will be all over," he said before twisting his hand under hers and pulling her into him and holding her close.  
  
Julie brought her arms around him fighting the urge to sigh. With Adam it was always 'I'll let things slide a bit tomorrow.' "And you'll get drafted," she told him glumly.  
  
Adam smiled at Julie's faith in him, as if it had already happened. "If I'm lucky."  
  
"No you'll make it alright. You're the best."  
  
"Thanks." He pushed himself out of her arms. "But--"  
  
"And if you're so tense now, how the hell do expect to be prepared for the game?" Julie asked playfully, yet again blocking his pathway to the door. "Part of the game is being able to go with the flow."  
  
Adam closed his eyes and sighed, taking a moment to tell himself that he appreciated tenacity in a girl. "Fine. How much _relaxing_ is required?" he asked grabbing her hand and sitting down on the bed.  
  
"You know the rules," Julie said, pushing him back on the and straddling as she climbed on top of him. She smiled and touched her lips to his.  
  
Adam wrinkled his nose at her, when she pulled away. "Sucky rules."  
  
"You love it, and me. It's called keeping the mystery alive."  
  
"Why is it only you can get me to do these things?"  
  
"I told you, you love me."  
  
~*~  
  
The door swung open and Jesse peaked his head inside. There were a two options with the current quiet, Adam and Julie were, well at this point it would be had, or Adam was busy being simmering. Julie was no where in sight and Adam was sitting at his desk, his back towards the door. "Looks like the cat familiar is gone."  
  
"Don't start with me," Adam snapped while in the process of taping up his stick, not even turning around to look at his roommate. "I'm still pissed with you."  
  
"Look man-"  
  
"Taking orders from my girlfriend are you now?" Adam asked angrily, turning and standing, stick still in hand. He'd thought the anger was gone when Julie had gotten him out of it. Apparently not. "The two of your aren't my keepers."  
  
"No, but she was worried, and vocalized it. Do you know how rare that is?" Jesse asked. Yeah he knew, Julie wasn't one of those people who would share her problems or problems she thought other people were having. "I let it go as a woman's intuition thing and did it because otherwise she'd probably camp out in our room and force you to stay on that bed. If I were you I'd talk her out of her clothes while she was at but God knows you've tried that plenty of times haven't you Cake-Eater?"  
  
"You think you could do any better?" Adam charged.  
  
A lightning grin streaked across Jesse's face. "I could try."  
  
"I'd kill you first."  
  
"One roommate going to jail for killing his roommate is enough."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
Jesse let out an annoyed sigh, taking a seat on his bed and pulling his duffle out from underneath. "Charlie has moved on from just complaining to threatening Guy's life. I spent the past two hours being annoyed by Charlie about how annoying it is to live with Guy."  
  
Adam rolled his eyes. "Wonderful."  
  
"Exactly. When the hell did the original team go to hell?"  
  
"Didn't know I was an original."  
  
Jesse gave his friend a curious look before shaking his head like Adam was crazy. "You proved yourself years ago man. You've taken several hits for the team, and I'm not going to let you ruin that record by not being able to show."  
  
Adam merely raised an eyebrow at his old friend. It pleased him that Jesse had come to Eden Hall for high school. Not to mention it had saved him rooming troubles when he and Charlie weren't exactly on the best of terms. "Scared of getting hit around?"  
  
"The way you do? Hell yeah."  
  
The two laughed amicably. "Good to know what I'm used for," Adam said, snagging the bag of pretzels Jesse had dropped his desk.  
  
"You also have this habit of scoring points Cake-eater. What can I say?" Jesse said with a shrug. "You're an all around guy. If only you could score against your girl," he said, placing a hand over his heart and make it sound like the greatest tragedy.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Jesse only continued to grin at him. "You're completely whipped."  
  
Adam merely quirked an eyebrow, rechecking his bag for the last time. "You have a problem with that?"  
  
"Nope, no problems," Jesse said, putting his hands up. "It's just cute."  
  
"I'm not that bad."  
  
"You're right. I could have an urge to shoot you in your sleep because of your obsessiveness. The team would never forgive me. Besides as far as girls go, you lucked out."  
  
Adam had just snatched the picture of him and Julie that sat next to his bed and took a moment to stare at it. "I did."  
  
"Alright, time to go," Jesse said standing and grabbing his duffle. "You can stare at that picture when you're not able to sneak Julie into the hotel room, okay?" 


	3. Chapter 3

Alright gang, here's chapter three. I open my mail box, and go "yes reviews" only to find out I've managed to screw it up. *sigh* Well, this is the real deal, I'm looking at it myself. Enjoy and leave reviews on this one alright.  
  
Ch 3  
  
The bus ride had been long and exhausting, as the team was in the northern corner of the state, and farther away then most of them enjoyed. Fulton and Portman had sat in the back making plans, every once in awhile, grunting, cheering and then slamming fists. Kenny was sitting in front of them and would turn around to get on their plans, causing one of the other two to affectionately rub his head and mess up his hair.  
  
Connie was sitting in the front of the bus near the driver deep in conversation with Luis, as Guy sat in the farthest seat from her in the other row and took turns between scowling out the window and up at Connie and Luis. Averman and Goldberg were planning some huge joke along with Dwayne and Russ while Charlie and Jesse tried to talk strategy. This was difficult, as they were having difficulty talking over Guy.  
  
Julie was comfortably curled up with Adam herself, occasionally talking with Dwayne when he wasn't busy with the prank, as Adam would occasionally turning around to rehash plays with Charlie and Jesse when he felt the need.  
  
Everyone was glad to get off the bus and stretch, and go off in different directions. Dean instantly was on a phone long distance to Chicago, it was an odd habit of his during and after away games since he'd come to Eaton, and he didn't talk about it often. Fulton just gave the same cursory glance he usually did and then walked over to the bags and grabbed his duffle.  
  
The awkward moment of the day came when Guy, out of habit along had gone to pick up Connie's bag. The instant his hand had touched it he'd looked up into her eyes and recoiled as if he'd been burned. Everyone looked away and Guy sprinted for the hotel.  
  
"Alright team, get your butts over here so I can give you all your room keys. Germaine! Germaine! For God's sakes. Here you go Conway."  
  
Charlie reached out for the keys and looked down at them with a depressed glance. "Why me?"  
  
"Because you're the best, best friend a guy could have?" Jesse quipped from behind.  
  
The group laughed and then Goldberg piped up from in back. "Yeah, you could have Averman."  
  
"I resent that."  
  
Goldberg quickly grabbed Averman in a headlock and proceeded to give him a noogie. "Oh come on little buddy."  
  
"Does that make you the skipper, because you really could apply for the part?"  
  
Coach held up one of the tiny manila envelopes and wiggled it in the air. "Keys!" he shouted at them, causing them to spring a part and rush forward. "Get out of my face. And be ready please? And if I find Jello in the bathtub again I swear to God you two will spend your days doing drills."  
  
The two boys stopped half way to the hotel and smiled at each other. "Jello!"  
  
"Banks, Hall. Oh and Hall, don't make things easy on him by leaving tonight, huh? Reed, Portman. I really shouldn't let you two room together but because no one else will have you."  
  
"Funny coach funny."  
  
"Mendoza and Woo, Roberson and Tyler, please don't do anything nearly as stupid as the others would do. And for the ladies. Boys and the room mean a suspension from the team."  
  
"We know."  
  
"So." Julie commented as she laid her duffle down on her bed. "Haven't seen you and Luis that close since Junior Goodwill."  
  
Connie's head instantly snapped up from her own bag. "Don't."  
  
Julie raised her hands in self-defense. "I'm just curious, not passing judgment okay?"  
  
Connie smiled and sat down on her bed. "He's cute, sweet, listens,--"  
  
"Is the biggest player in the school now that he realized being a Latino from Miami is exotic," Julie muttered under her breath as she sat down.  
  
Connie had over heard her though and was giving her a dirty look. "I'm not looking for serious. I spent seven years in seriousness."  
  
"Gotcha."  
  
"Just because you and Adam--"  
  
Julie raised an eyebrow at her roommate. "Adam and I what?"  
  
"The fact that you're all lovey dovey doesn't mean that's what everyone wants okay?"  
  
'Liar, liar, pants on fire,' echoed in Julie's head but she kept her mouth shut. Connie Moreau was dead set on forgetting the dreams of a beautiful wedding dress and a reception in a chapel in the middle of February, and the guy who went with it all. That was her choice.  
  
"Sorry alright."  
  
"Apology accepted. Let's just relax, okay. You, me, a hotel room."  
  
"It's usually you, me and a dorm room. Wanna explain what's so different?"  
  
Connie shrugged, and then gave off a small, cunning, smile. "Different town, different boys."  
  
Julie raised her hand and waved as if she were attempting to get a teacher's attention. "One very non-single girl."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Adam is, well he wasn't you were intending was he?"  
  
Julie quirked an eyebrow at Connie. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Scooter, and then the thing with Dean. What happened there?"  
  
"It wasn't right. The phone calls, they're to some girl, a friend of his," Julie paused for a second, furrowing her eyebrows, "Aubrey I think. I think she's become more recently."  
  
"He never told you?"  
  
Julie just shrugged. "You know Dean. Private as hell. Fulton knows, but they share everything."  
  
"Brothers till the end."  
  
"Yup. It's not that big of a deal Connie, we both decided we were better off as friends." And personally Julie was pleased with that. She and Dean worked really well with a highly brother/sister relationship.  
  
"He's still protective as hell of you. Then again, so's Adam."  
  
"Don't do that. Pretending I'm the only one. You have enough people protecting you to have your own fan club."  
  
Connie sent Julie a mischievous smile. "We can still beat them all blindfolded."  
  
Julie returned it with relish. "With one hand tied behind our backs."  
  
"At least on the ice."  
  
"We just can't tell them. They'd be embarrassed."  
  
"And challenge us, and we'd have to bring it. And it would just be ugly."  
  
The two girls fell into laugher together. "Come out with me tonight, a girls night thing. I know we all usually do a Ducks thing, but for the past season we've been having difficulty."  
  
"Because you and Guy are busy avoiding one another," Julie said pointedly.  
  
"Shut up. Anyway, if we go out together, the guys can hang and no one gets left alone. And I wouldn't worry about Banksie," Connie said with a giggle. "I'm sure one of the other guys could fill in for you."  
  
"Shut up!" Julie said childishly hurling a pillow at her friend, causing Connie to fall back on the bed in a fit of giggles.  
  
Connie quickly got on her knees and grabbed a pillow and a pillow fight quickly started. They continued until another voice penetrated their thoughts. "Ooh kinky!"  
  
Julie and Connie both whipped around towards the door. Julie was curious as to why it was open, but with Dean one never was quite sure how exactly anything got opened. "What do you want Portman?" Julie asked, quickly climbing off of Connie and her bed.  
  
"We're heading out, thought we'd give you gorgeous gals a chance to be in the presence of some of the best guys the state has ever seen," he said cockily as he brushed off his shirt.  
  
"That's the plan," Connie said cheekily, as she stood. "But trust me, it's not you."  
  
Julie laughed and sent him a small smile. "Girls night out. Sorry."  
  
Dean turned back to the hallway and cupped his hands over his mouth like a megaphone. "Hey Cake Eater, your girlfriend's mind has been poisoned by her roommate. They're going scamming for guys." He turned back to the girls with a smile and a wink. "Word to the wise ladies, nothing I wouldn't do."  
  
Two seconds later Adam's head appeared in the doorway. "You're not coming?"  
  
"Out, out. You'll convince her to spend the night with you, and then I'll be stuck here alone."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because Guy's been hibernating long enough. No need for him to stay that way, so we're just going to go have some fun and come back. I promise I'm not corrupting her."  
  
Dean gave off another wolfish grin. "She was already corrupted. Right babe?"  
  
Adam turned to glare at Dean. "What did I tell you about calling her babe?"  
  
"You're telling me you've never called her babe?"  
  
Charlie's voice echoed down the hallway next. "Are the girls coming or not?"  
  
"No!" Adam and Dean shouted down the hallway, letting go of their rather heated debate.  
  
"Guy get your ass out of that bed or I swear to God I'm getting Goldberg to sit on your head!" Charlie's angry voice came back. "Hopefully our stopping at Taco Bell today will ad a bit of motivation on one of your parts."  
  
"I'm up."  
  
Adam leaned over and gave Julie a kiss. "I'll see you later Jules."  
  
Dean grinned at them and waved. "Later babes," he called as he started off down the hall.  
  
"What did I--"  
  
Connie was grinning at Julie. "Some things never change."  
  
"Nope."  
  
Ten minutes later the guys were heading through the lobby ready to head out.  
  
"Freedom," Russ said with a smile as they headed for the doors. "if only for a few hours."  
  
"We still gotta make it out of the hotel," Guy reminded them all.  
  
"We're going to get out of here just fine," Dean insisted.  
  
"Is that so?" a voice drawled out from behind, causing just about everyone to stop in their tracks and turn around.  
  
"Yeah," Dean affirmed before spinning. "Coach." He practically choked on the word.  
  
He swept them all with a glare. "Up stairs. All of you. And if you attempt to pull it again you will all be doing fifty extra laps."  
  
Julie had just pulled a new pair of boots out of her bag to put on when the door knocked. As Connie was in the bathroom brushing her teeth, Julie got up to get it. Coach "Ladies, you better not be thinking of going anywhere."  
  
Julie sent out her most innocent smile as Connie's head poked out of the bathroom. "Why would we ever think such a thing?" Julie asked.  
  
"Just don't. Goodnight ladies."  
  
Julie closed the door and turned around to lean against it. "So, indoor's girls night?" she asked looking at her friend.  
  
"Guess so. I've got nail polish. Hot pink or Passion plum for under the gloves tomorrow?"  
  
Adam and Jesse sat contentedly in their hotel room. ESPN was showing a hockey game between the Bruins and the Rockies.  
  
Adam looked up from his playbook to the screen. "The Bruins aren't half bad this year. Think they'll go anywhere?" he asked Jesse, without looking at him.  
  
There was a knock on the door and Jesse got up to answer it. "I dunno, they always manage to choke. Speaking of choking," Jesse said good naturedly as he opened the door.  
  
Charlie walked all the way into the room, a duffle bag over his arm. He plopped it down in the middle of the floor. "Okay, someone needs to switch rooms with me."  
  
"And that's our problem because?"  
  
"Because," Charlie started, putting emphasis on the word, "if the captain kills a teammate, we're out two players, one that we desperately need, not that he's much use off of the ice."  
  
Both turned to Adam who was still on his bed with a playbook. He looked up and spotted them both staring and shook his head. "Oh no. Not me. I go over there and I'm going to be forced to persuade him to do something like talk to Connie. And we all know how that's going to go."  
  
Jesse snorted. "Whipped."  
  
Adam looked up and leveled his gaze at Jessie. "You wanna mess with Julie?"  
  
"Not in particular."  
  
Charlie turned and grinned at Jesse. "Alright Jesse, ship out," he commanded in the tone he'd perfected for captain ages ago.  
  
Jesse looked between his two friends. Charlie had flopped down on his bed and Adam had returned to his playbook, with a rather large smile on his face. "You're kidding me right?"  
  
"Captain's orders. Besides maybe you can bug him into doing something besides listening to depressive music. Look," Charlie said, sitting up and giving off a much more serious air. "I've been living with him through this whole thing, you are one of his best friends, you take a turn."  
  
"Fine," Jesse grumbled getting out his gear. "This is one huge favor Spazway."  
  
"Yeah I know."  
  
Adam looked down at the duffle bag on the floor as Jesse quickly collected his stuff and grabbed the other room key from Charlie. "Already have your stuff huh?"  
  
Charlie moved his bag out of the middle of the room and to the side of the bed he'd now taken. "You are okay with this right?" he asked, curious if he'd just done something stupid.  
  
"I would have said something if I wasn't," Adam reassured him. It had been a tough road reconnecting with the entire team after his short-lived stint on the Varsity team at Eden Hall his freshman year, but hardest with Charlie. It hadn't surprised Adam in the least bit, as they had attempted to tear each other to pieces on the ice that time.  
  
"Isn't it a little late to be running plays?"  
  
Adam said nothing about what he was working on but instead wordlessly pointed to the playbook Charlie was holding in his hands with a curious look.  
  
"Yeah but I'm the captain."  
  
Adam laughed at that one. Charlie depended on that C on his jersey like nothing else. Not that anyone complained, Charlie had always been a good captain. "You've been captain since pee-wees Charlie."  
  
"Haven't steered you guys wrong yet, have I?"  
  
Adam managed half a smile. "Going after me was a small issue. But no one's perfect."  
  
"Hey you took that position."  
  
Adam sobered as the memories of that time came back to him. He'd been isolated from his only friends and had done a few things he wasn't necessarily proud of. Not to mention his father's reaction to him being varsity freshman year. "At the time it looked like a pretty good opportunity, not to mention my dad's praise."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So apparently life with what's left of the Germaine/Moreau relationship is hell?" Adam said after a few minutes of silence. He wanted to shift off his own all too familiar difficulties and on to someone else's set of problems.  
  
Charlie let out an anguished groan that reminded him of Julie when Connie was being annoying about the entire situation. "It's pathetic. How many times can one guy listen to Simon and Garfunkle's I am a Rock?"  
  
Adam cringed for a second and then laughed, while Charlie sent him a glare. After a few moments Charlie started laughing as well. "Jesse's going to kill you," Adam told Charlie once he'd caught his breath.  
  
"Hopefully he'll be willing to take one for the team. I mean it's not asking much."  
  
"Sucks for--" The phone rang and Adam quickly picked up the receiver. "Hello? Hey," he said with a huge grin as Julie's voice came to him through the phone. "No, no. I've been back for awhile. Yeah."  
  
Charlie rolled his eyes and concentrated on his playbook. "God no wonder Jesse changed rooms. Out of the frying pan into the fire."  
  
Adam ignored the comment and looked at the muted TV. "It's only Charlie. Jules, yes I promise. You're impossible."  
  
"The reason I no longer have a girlfriend," Charlie piped up.  
  
Adam turned back to send Charlie a glare. "Yeah he's an ass," Adam said to Julie, but more as a pointed comment at Charlie.  
  
Charlie grinned at Adam. "And proud of it."  
  
Adam rolled his eyes and turned away to continue listening to Julie. "Alright. I'll see you in the morning. I love you too. Night."  
  
"That's it? No hours spent talking about your non-existent evening? Or about how much you miss one another?" With the last line, Charlie pouted his lips and made kissy noises.  
  
"Hate to tell you this but not all relationships are hours of meaningless conversation. Julie is pretty straight forward and we don't enjoy playing hours worth of 'no, now you hang up.'"  
  
Charlie glanced to the bedside table on which a framed photograph sat. Adams gaze had been lingering on it since he'd hung up. "It's the picture that drives Jesse nuts isn't it?"  
  
"Hmm?" Adam said, looking up at Charlie. It took him a second before he picked up the frame. "Oh this?"  
  
"Nope," Charlie said as he shook his head, and the pointed at Adam. "it's the dopey smile."  
  
"Shut up." 


	4. Chapter 4

And just when you didn't think the chapters couldn't get any longer. You're all very lucky I had the majority of this chapter written and that I'm ignoring other work right now.  
  
Anyways, big thanks to all who reviewed. I'm so glad I'm not alone in my love for these movies and even for this couple. The reviews mean a lot to me, from those of you who don't usually read this couple, to those of you who do, from the people I read from.  
  
And Anne, of course, what MA girl doesn't include her team, regardless of how poorly they play.  
  
Ch 4  
  
"Conway, what the hell did you do to this play book? Banks you better have that weak wrist taped, or I'm taping you to the bench. Germaine, one more game like the last and I swear that you will not play again this season. And for Gods sake Goldberg, would you keep your eyes open or you won't make it to the end of the first period."  
  
"Did coachy-woachy wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?" Averman's voice called from the sideline.  
  
"Do you want to stay here in the locker room Averman? Or even better, we can send you back to the hotel."  
  
Averman put his hands up in defense and backed away. "Look whose a bit touchy today."  
  
Goldberg reached over and slapped the back of his friends head. "Moron."  
  
"Alright. You guys get out there and do your best, there's nothing more I can ask of you. As long as you keep your heads in the game, if we lose because they're better that's fine, but if we lose because we're being stupid then we've got a problem."  
  
Dwayne simply gave his wide grin from the back. "That's not going to be a problem coach considering there ain't no one better than us."  
  
"Damn straight!" Russ shouted for extra punctuation.  
  
"Alright then, get out there and play."  
  
Adam sent Julie a wink from across the locker room before he headed out on to the ice. Julie smiled back and felt herself warm inside. She hated being sappy.  
  
"And welcome the currently undefeated Eden Hall Ducks," the announcer called out as they took the ice.  
  
They were met with boos as they entered the arena and only a small section of cheers from the few Duck fans who had made the trip to northern Minnesota.  
  
The game seemed to fly by. Both teams were good, excellent really, keeping the game exciting and the announcers distracting. By the second period Julie had been switched for Goldberg, and the team was trying hard to get a goal in. They needed the edge.  
  
"Defense guys!" Julie hollered from underneath her mask as the Sharks got a bit too close to her goal.  
  
She could see the guys come sweeping out from the corner of her eye as they cleared the puck from behind the goal. They started off in the usual flying V but Adam and Guy fanned out towards the edges. Averman passed the puck to Adam and he started off down the side of the rink.  
  
Julie could tell that all Adam was focused on was the play and getting to the right positioning, to shoot or pass to one of the other guys she wasn't sure. She watched as Guy took a position in close proximity to Adam and she could see the pass getting set up. What she then saw made her want to cry out a warning, two guys charging Adam.  
  
Adam sent the puck flying across the ice to Guy as the two guys hit him.  
  
A buzzer sounded and the announcer's could be heard again, "And with that number 00 Guy Germaine shoves it in the goal.  
  
The Ducks on the ice had stopped their celebrating and were skating over to the side of the rink. They had noticed what the announcers would note two seconds later.  
  
"Number 99, Adam Banks, is down and is not moving."  
  
"What exactly were you thinking when you decided to pull an illegal check of that magnitude on one of our friends?"  
  
"Portman back off," Charlie snapped, knowing he had one team member down and wasn't about to lose another due to penalties.  
  
Dean ignored him, not hearing a word of it. "Don't think you're getting off at all. Reed?"  
  
"Right here."  
  
Julie was over from her stint in the goal and down by his side. "Adam. Oh God." Two seconds later she lifted her gaze to the players of the other team who had knocked him into the boards. "What the hell did you do to him?"  
  
"Looks like the Cat is here to play as well. She only looks like a kitten, she's been removed from games for behavioral issues."  
  
The paramedics were taking the ice, pushing the large crowd of ducks out of the way so they could reach Adam. They began asking questions and Julie knew someone was giving questions but she couldn't tell who it was.  
  
"He's waking up."  
  
Adams eyes eventually opened all the way and he murmured, "Jules."  
  
Julie returned to his side and squeezed Adam's hand. "I'm here, right here." She just wanted to hold on to him forever.  
  
The connection was broken by one of the paramedics as they began to wheel Adam off the ice. She went to follow, when she heard voices calling out after her.  
  
"You want me to take care of this, cause I will?"  
  
"I'm in."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Finish the game," she snapped, watching as the Bankses gathered around their son, as she moved towards the opening in the rink. "Win."  
  
"Gaffney," she heard Orion call after her as she stepped onto the mat.  
  
Julie whirled around feeling helpless and bewildered. "Coach!"  
  
"Go on. Go."  
  
"Jules do you need me to go with you?" Connie asked about to step off the ice.  
  
Julie managed to shake her head and motion for her friend to go back to the team. "No I'll be alright. Besides someone has to stay behind and keep the guys in line."  
  
Julie wasn't exactly sure of what had gone on since she left the ice or how she'd gotten to the hospital, but she'd made it. She'd managed to change from her gear and into sweats, which she figured was a good thing.  
  
The first thing she really saw was the admittance desk and rushed over to it. Placing both hands firmly on the desk she leaned forward and "I'm looking for Adam Banks. He was brought in here in an ambulance."  
  
"The waiting room is over there."  
  
She rushed into the room and came to a stop in the middle of the room. Philip Banks was pacing anxiously by the admitting door, while his wife sat stiffly on a couch, flipping through the pages of a magazine without really reading the pages. Julie hedged her bets and headed for Beth Banks, with whom she had a much better relationship.  
  
"Where is he? Have you heard anything?" she asked once she was closer, unable to keep the mild note of hysterics out of her voice.  
  
Beth's head snapped up at the sound of someone else addressing her and her mouth formed into a small smile upon recognition. She stood as well and walked towards Julie. "Julie. No, nothing yet."  
  
"It's good to see you here Julie," Mr. Banks said, laying a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn her head sharply. She hadn't realized he'd come over.  
  
Julie gave him an acknowledging nod, wondering how irrational her willingness to blame all of this on him was. "Mr. Banks."  
  
"Didn't I tell you to call me Phillip?"  
  
"Yes. Phillip." She turned to look at Mrs. Banks. "I just. I.."  
  
Beth wrapped an arm around Julie and lead her towards the sofa she'd been sitting on. "It's okay sweetie."  
  
Julie couldn't really hear her, she was still kind of lost. "I mean I've seen him go down plenty of times in the past five years, he just usually doesn't stay down, or at least not for very long. I've never seen him taken out on a stretcher like that."  
  
"Scares you doesn't it."  
  
"I'm surprised you didn't stay," Philip commented. "I'm sure the team could have used you."  
  
Julie didn't even look at the elder Banks, but looked down the hallway where she knew Adam must be. "No, my head wouldn't have been in the game. No matter how much I wanted those guys to pay by getting slammed into the boards and losing, I would have been here all the same."  
  
"Phillip, I am sure the team is doing just fine. Why don't you come sit down over here with me?"  
  
"I can't sit still," Julie said, shaking her head "I don't know."  
  
"I know. Just, how's school been? Adam tells us precious little since he's moved into the dorms."  
  
"It's going alright. Senior year jitters and stuff are starting up now. I think we're all itching to move forward."  
  
"Mr. And Mrs. Banks?"  
  
Beth laid a hand on Julie's. "We'll get you in a bit alright?"  
  
Julie nodded. "Yeah."  
  
Adam was getting frustrated. His parents had swept through once and had asked every question known to man, including the embarrassing ones. And now the doctor was back talking to him once again, but he didn't want to listen. He just wanted to get out and go home.  
  
The doctor's voice penetrated his negative thoughts. "There's some hot babe here to see you."  
  
Adam's eyes slid to the door and caught sight of Julie in sweats, her hair beginning to come out of her braid, pretending to be cool. He looked back up at the doctor. "She has a name you know."  
  
Julie smiled in spite of herself and the fear that lingered within her. "Where have I heard that before?" she asked advancing forward as the doctor walked out past her. She told herself to keep the tone as light as possible.  
  
Adam managed to quirk one half of his mouth up in a tired smile. "I don't know. But who ever said it was smart."  
  
Julie pursed her lips and sat down in a chair next to his bed. "Yeah," she managed through the lump in her throat.  
  
"How was the game?" Adam asked, focused on the end result as always. It still amazed her his ability to put himself out of the way and to put the game and the team out there.  
  
She looked down at the floor, not really sure of his reaction to what she was about to stay, but quickly had an idea. "I don't know. I left."  
  
Adam let out a tired sigh. One that Julie interpreted as the team needed her more than he did. And when he said, "Jules," the tone only furthered that thought.  
  
"You see," she said, leaning forward and laying her crossed arms on the sidebar of his bed. "There's this fabulous hockey player who was apparently brought in here after getting laid out pretty bad during a game. Rumor has is he's quite attractive as well. I honestly skipped the game and came here looking for him, thinking that maybe I could seduce him." Julie glanced around the room, as if searching before landing her eyes on Adam again. "You haven't seen him have you?"  
  
Adam laughed a little. "Nope, just me. Can you deal with that?"  
  
"Yeah I think I can," she said, taking a piece of his hair and putting it out of his face. It was getting long again as he often forgot about things like haircuts during hockey season.  
  
He closed his eyes at his touch, and Julie once again got a glimpse of fragility in her boyfriend. It had been occurring more and more in the past year, but it was never often.  
  
His breathing began to deepen and Julie could tell he was falling asleep. Her instincts warred within her, and she went with the nervous one, she shook his shoulder a bit. "Hey."  
  
Adam opened his eyes and looked out at her blearily. "Sorry."  
  
Julie pursed her lips, feeling slightly guilty, but not enough to think she had been wrong. "That's okay, I just don't want you falling asleep on me. I don't know how hard you hit your head and you being unconscious once tonight was plenty okay?"  
  
"Anything you want. You're beautiful you know that?" he said, reaching up a hand, tubes sticking out of it, to touch her face. "I know it's a cliché of a man waking up in the hospital and the woman over him is beautiful, but it's true."  
  
Julie gingerly touched his fingers, trying not to disrupt any of the tubes. "Now I know just how hard you hit your head. I'm in sweats and I didn't even shower."  
  
He lifted his other shoulder in a shrug. "Still true."  
  
"You're too good to be true Banks."  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her chest and Julie was tempted to hit him when he spoke, "Where have I seen that sweatshirt before?"  
  
Julie looked down and smiled a bit, blushing all the same. It was nice to be wearing something of Adam's as it made her feel closer to him, but she hadn't asked. "It's yours. It smelled like you."  
  
"You're much more romantic than anyone thinks."  
  
Julie pulled her shoulder in a shrug. "Yeah well, you bring it out in me."  
  
"You scared the hell out of me, not moving," Julie said after a few minutes of silence, the tears that she had been holding back returning. "I swear my heart stopped."  
  
"No tears Jules. It's alright."  
  
Somehow her lips found his. She felt the world fall away as it so often did. For just a second it was just the two, in a space of their own, in a world of their own.  
  
"Mr. Banks.. Oh."  
  
"Um, it's.., it's alright," Julie said, blushing as she sprung away from Adam and his lips.  
  
The doctor gave her a disapproving glare. "Miss, if you'll excuse us, I would like to talk to Adam and his parents in private."  
  
Beth stepped forward and put her foot down, "No, let her stay."  
  
Philip's eyes turned to his wife as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Beth, if the Dr.-"  
  
The look that was clear in her son's eyes was enough for her. She turned her glare on her husband. "Phillip."  
  
The doctor looked between those in the room and took a moment before starting up again. "We believe that your son is suffering from more than the injuries he sustained from that check into the boards today." He turned to Adam. "Have you been more fatigued lately, feeling any worse for wear?"  
  
"Yes," Julie interjected quickly, knowing that Adam would ignore it. He was giving her a glare that let her know that her interjection was not appreciated.  
  
Beth's eyes narrowed at her son, with a bit of fear in her eyes. "Adam, why didn't you say anything?"  
  
Julie's gaze was downcast but she could still feel Adam's angry stare on her. "It was nothing," he insisted, and she felt her cheeks heat up more.  
  
"Well we're going to do a few more tests. Check everything out."  
  
Adam looked around the hospital room they had deposited him after the last barrage of tests. It was blank and blah and he wanted to get out. He looked down at the IV in his hand and wondered just how much it would hurt to pull it out. There was no way a guy could sneak out of the hosptial being attached to the huge IV poll.  
  
But he most likely didn't have any clothing in the room and hospital gowns left little to the imagination. Not to mention he'd have to convince someone to sneak him past the doctors, nurses and his parents, and he doubted any of his teammates would do that.  
  
"Hey there man, rough night huh?"  
  
Adam looked up to see the majority of the team crowding into his room. It was better than being alone. He gave them a half smile and shook his head. "You don't want to know what they do to you here."  
  
Charlie raised an eyebrow as he came up close to the bed. "That bad?"  
  
"Vicious S&M without the end result."  
  
He watched as his fellow teammates cringed. "Ugh."  
  
"What exactly happened between you and the Cat? She seems to think that you're upset with her, and is currently curled up in a corner, not responding to anyone."  
  
"You may be in a bed but I have no problems screwing with those tubes right here," Connie said, half jokingly.  
  
"I just."  
  
Dean pointed a stern finger at him. "Not an excuse. She won't even respond to me hitting on her."  
  
Adam narrowed his eyes knowing Dean was just teasing him. "If I could get out of this bed, I'd do something about that remark."  
  
Silence invaded the room and Adam asked the question that he'd wanted the answer to since he had figured the game should have ended. "So the game. Who won?"  
  
The team looked around as if they were deciding who was going to say something. Adam's stomach began to tie itself in knots. He should have been out there. He should have been able to get up.  
  
"We pulled it out," Connie said finally.  
  
"Barely," Guy added, as if he didn't want Adam to think they didn't need him, "but we did pull it out."  
  
"Those guys must have been pretty pissed."  
  
Fulton gave a shrug as if it were nothing, but his smile gave another impression. "Dean and I beat 'em around a bit. The weren't looking half as cocksure by the end."  
  
"Good to know."  
  
The door opened and a nurse stepped in. "There are way too many visitors in here. Two at the most." When none of the team headed for the door the nurse's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Two, do you hear me?"  
  
Dean instantly scooted around her for the door. "We gotcha lady."  
  
Averman narrowed his eyes at the woman. "Although if we could just slip you a Lincoln for a blind eye."  
  
"Don't worry about him, strolled out of the mental ward," Guy said with a strained smile as he began to drag his old friend out.  
  
Jessie clapped a hand on Adam's shoulder. "We'll see you in the morning alright man? Rest easy Cake-Eater, though with people at your beck and call I don't see how you couldn't."  
  
Charlie gave him a half-smile and a nod. "We'll take care of everything."  
  
"One of you tell Julie--"  
  
"No problem," Connie answered him on her way out of the door.  
  
A few minutes later Adam heard the creak of the door and he opened his eyes. He smiled as he spotted the girl in the doorway. "Hey."  
  
Julie walked over to his side in a manner that looked like she was afraid of breaking something. She pursed her lips and sat in the chair that was positioned beside him. "Look I'm sorry."  
  
Adam grinned at her. "I'm the ass and you're sorry. Maybe I should try this being a jerk thing some more."  
  
"Ha ha ha."  
  
"I am sorry, you know. I just." He stopped and bit his lip for a moment before continuing, "it's a lot to deal with, and my mom doesn't do well with things like this. I was upset with the situation, I'm sorry I took it out on you."  
  
"Scared?"  
  
Adam took a moment to consider He figured honesty would be the best way to go this time. "Terrified. I don't mean to be you know, I just. this is all so much. I've been touched and probed in places that I don't want anyone, except maybe you going for the next hundred years."  
  
Julie cringed in sympathy. "That bad?"  
  
"Yeah. Now I'm just dead tired. And they're going to kick you and everyone else out in a few minutes."  
  
"Yeah well, you want me to go get everyone else in here?" she asked, turning her head towards the doorway, thinking about getting up and going.  
  
"No. I'll see them tomorrow. Just sit here until I fall asleep, please."  
  
Julie leaned over and brushed a bit of hair out of his face before kissing his head gently. "Yeah, I can do that. I love you."  
  
Adam gave her a smile as he let his eyes fall closed. "Ditto."  
  
By the time Adam had fallen asleep the team had already been shuffled out of the hospital and back to the hotel. Mr. Banks had given her a ride back. It had been tense and quiet, with a small concession that she was good for Adam, and that he would probably need her. It was one of the best things Philip Banks had ever said to her.  
  
Now she lugged her bag down the hallway to her room, just wanting to collapse into bed and wake up to find it all a nightmare. If only that could be a reality.  
  
Upon her entrance into the room Connie looked up from her spot on the bed. "Hey Jules, how is he?"  
  
Julie threw the bag next to the dresser with a sigh. She headed over to her bed and sat facing her friend. "Scared. It isn't something you see all that often in Adam."  
  
Connie reached out and took Julie's hand. "And you?"  
  
"Hmm. What was that?"  
  
"How are you? I'm sure no ones asked that one."  
  
Julie stopped. It was true, no one had asked her about herself. She wasn't even sure that she was supposed to be thinking about herself. "I. I'm terrified myself. God," she said as her throat began to close up on her. "he's usually so. Strong."  
  
"Come here."  
  
Julie let herself go over to the other bed and into her friend's arms. She hadn't realized how much she needed this. "And I can't help it, and I can't fall apart in front of him because right about now I have to be strong about this for him. And I have this feeling that whatever this is, it isn't good. Then I have to keep up with the team and my grades."  
  
"It's going to be alright."  
  
"It better be Con, it better be."  
  
"Good morning."  
  
Adam looked up from the playbook in his lap upon hearing Julie's voice and smiled. "Hey. They're transporting me back to Minneapolis today. Well my parents are after the doctors tell me whatever it is they've found out."  
  
"Good, I'm being forced back today. The whole, no other way home thing," she said scowling.  
  
"My parents could take you back with us."  
  
Julie considered getting to ride in a comfortable car snuggled up with Adam. And then she considered the idea of his parents in the front seat with a rearview mirror. "I don't know."  
  
Adam reached out and took her hand. "Please. For me."  
  
Julie nodded and gave his hand a squeeze. "Alright, I'll be here." 


	5. Chapter 5

I know, I know, it's been about forever. I was in the mood to finish up this chapter... hopefully, eventually, I'll finish the story. In honor of completing a history midterm, I award you all with this. Maybe there are still some people who remember this story out there.  
  
Hope you enjoy.  
  
Laura  
  
Ch 5  
  
Adam sat on the bench in the locker room in front of his locker. He took out the ever present roll of tape in there and turned it over in his hands for a few minutes. All of this had been his life since childhood. This had been his sports locker for the past four years. It was hard to think that he'd have to leave it behind.  
  
As he began to tape up his wrist he heard the door open and someone walk in tentatively. Knowing that the Ducks were all out on the ice Adam figured he knew what it was.  
  
"What is it you said Coach? That first day of JV practice. You have to know defense to have the confidence to deal with the curve balls life throws you off the ice?" he asked, finally turning to look at his coach.  
  
Orion nodded and walked over to Adam. "That's about the gist of it," he said as he straddled the bench and sat next to the star player. He picked up the hockey puck that ways lying on the bench and began to turn it over in his hands.  
  
Adam sent his coach a wry smile. "I'll take it this was what you were talking about."  
  
Orion let out a sigh and hung his head before looking at the teen again. There was something else in Adam's eyes that hadn't been there before. He couldn't really pin it down.  
  
"Not exactly. I hate to lose one of my best players."  
  
Adam let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah well, no real way around that."  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Orion asked, laying a hand on Adam's shoulder.  
  
Adam paused for a moment, but it wasn't necessary. He knew he needed this more than anything else. One thing to prove to himself that he still had it. "I want one last time with the team Coach. Please don't begrudge me that. This is practice, we all go easy on each other. After my recent stay in the hospital they're going to go beyond easy on me." And that was a truth that hurt. He didn't want to be anything different to them than he had always been, but there was nothing he could do to change that.  
  
Orion gave him two strong pats on the back and stood. "Alright, suit up and get out there."  
  
"Thanks Coach."  
  
Adam sighed and focused on his locker again. The way the gear was stacked, the jersey. "Guess this is it." He wondered if he could ever manage to really let it go. In a few minutes he'd be later than he wanted to be. "Let's get to it."  
  
~*~  
  
An hour later everyone filed off the ice and into the locker room. Everyone was busily giving Adam pats on the back and telling him he'd be up to snuff in no time. Julie was just looking at him with her big eyes as if she was trying to figure out what the right thing to do was.  
  
Eventually she walked over to him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder with the end of her stick. "Not half bad."  
  
The team was half way to dressed when Charlie took the front of the dressing room. In order not to miss his little speeches, Julie and Connie made sure they were always wearing stuff under their uniforms that made it easier.  
  
"Alright guys, today's practice was good. It's crucial now if we want to be our best to work as hard on our issues as ever before. If you see a problem with someone else, please don't hesitate to bring it up. Everyone should be ready and willing to accept constructive criticism from other members of this team and use it to their advantage.  
  
"I've known you all for years, so I know how you play, you know how you play. We can all tell when someone else is not at their best and we should all feel free to point that out. It's not an insult, it's honesty."  
  
Jesse's hand instantly shot up. When Charlie finally nodded at him, he spoke, "So if I were to tell you your triple deke is a bit off you'd honestly consider it?"  
  
Charlie narrowed his eyes and glared at Jesse as some of the others began to chuckle. "But it's not."  
  
"I thought we were supposed to be open," Averman piped up.  
  
"Yeah man."  
  
"Is it a problem?"  
  
"Not really," Jessie said with a grin. "Just keeping you honest Conway."  
  
"Thanks. Now for schedules and the roster for the playoffs as coach has given me."  
  
Adam looked from Charlie to his watch, to Charlie again, to Julie, back to Charlie and his watch again. There was no prolonging the inevitable. "Hey Charlie, let me have a moment."  
  
Charlie stopped a bit surprised but smiled and stepped back. "Sure Banks. The floor is all yours."  
  
His eyes locked with Julie's and he watched recognition spring into her eyes. He'd explained what he was going to do to her, and now he needed her to ground him for this speech. "This is a lot harder than I thought. I never thought I'd have to do this, but I'm going to have to ask you guys to take the State Championship without me this year."  
  
"What?"  
  
"No way."  
  
"You kiddin Cake eater?"  
  
"No."  
  
Tears started to prick his eyes. "Hey, I hate this. I... I figured this year we'd take the Championship together one last time as always, but plans don't always work out the way you think they're going to. I met with the doctors who ran my tests the other night, and they've diagnosed me with non- Hodgkin's lymphoma. Cancer." He heard the gasps of his teammates, but couldn't bring himself to look up at them. "In a few moments my mom is coming by to check me into the hospital. I held her off for as long as possible to take my last practice on the ice with you guys..." he smiled, and added, "and girls. I've played on other teams before, but I've never felt as at home or loved my teammates so much as this one and I'm glad I got to play one with you all one last time. Play hard, fly straight."  
  
Feeling the urge to get out of there as quickly as possible, he grabbed the duffle and left the room before anyone could really react.  
  
Julie felt all eyes fall on her in Adam's absence, and realized why he had wanted to be out of there so fast. "Yeah it's true. I... I've gotta go."  
  
And she sprinted off after him, leaving the rest of the Ducks alone to sort out what had just happened.  
  
Julie rushed out of the building and saw Adam sitting on the curb with his duffle bag next to him. She jogged over to him and sat down on the curb.  
  
"You're still here," she breathed out, trying to get her breath back. She had needed to just be with him again, and hadn't realized it until he'd walked out of the locker room.  
  
"Yeah. I don't think Mom was sure what time we'd be done." A slightly sad small smile was playing on his lips. "I half expected her to have been here and come storming down to drag me out."  
  
Julie took a moment and let her head fall on her shoulder. "It's going to feel so odd to finish out the season without you," she said, and tried not to let tears fall down her face. She was going to be strong for him. It was the least she could do. "I'm used to seeing you fly over the ice and score from my position in the goal."  
  
"You'll do fine, and I'll be there." His arm snaked around her shoulder and his hand began stroking her softly. She wondered why it was Adam who was comforting her when it should have been the other way around. "If I can't be on the ice I'm at least going to be there."  
  
"Good." She nudged him slightly, if she was feeling more sure of everything she would have socked him in the shoulder, but things were different now. "You better be there in the box with Coach when we take the State Championship."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Julie lifted her head to look up at him. "You'll call me when you're settled and stuff right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The distinct urge to hit something that had been building in her since they had heard the news welled up. It was better than tears. She leaned her forehead against his. "I hate this."  
  
"Preaching to the choir."  
  
"Adam!" Mrs. Banks' voice called. The couple looked up to see her car directly in front of him. "Sorry, but we really have to go."  
  
"Yeah Mom, I know."  
  
He looked back at Julie as if he wasn't sure. She clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Go. I'll be here." She stood with him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I love you."  
  
Adam took her head and kissed her on the lips. "I love you too," he whispered.  
  
Then he was off and into his car, throwing his duffle in the back seat and not looking back at it. Julie watched as he and his mother squabbled over something or other, it seemed like she wanted to buckle Adam's seatbelt for him.  
  
Once the car started rolling away Adam leaned out and waved at her. Julie found herself lifting her arm and wave back without really thinking about it. She waved until the car was out of sight and then she found herself sitting back down on the curb in a near collapse. Finally she allowed herself to bury her head in her hands and let the tears come  
  
~*~  
  
Connie sat on a bench out in the local park wondering what exactly was supposed to happen next. Things like this didn't happen to people like Adam. He was a good kid, with a really good life, great friends, fabulous talent and a girl like Julie. He was the kind of guy everyone wanted to hate, but you couldn't because he was just too damn nice about things. Some would say that it was karma for having good things happen to him. But he didn't deserve it.  
  
And Julie sure as hell didn't deserve it.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Connie lifted her head and looked up at Guy standing over her. She managed a half smile for him, all the while wondering why all of a sudden he was open to talking to her. "Hey."  
  
Guy was focused on his feet and she watched him kick at the ground. "So I was thinking. I've been stupid. I miss you Connie, and not in a romantic sense, but in a friend one. Just being around you." He looked at her finally and gave a half shrug. "Some dreams die hard you know? Especially ones that you've been having for years. And now with Adam and everything..." Guy took in a deep breath, "everything is up in the air and I don't want to let our relationship get to a part where we can never get it back. So what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry."  
  
Connie looked down and shook her head. "Guy, you don't have to apologize."  
  
"Yeah, I do," he said, sitting down next to her. He went to put his arm around her but thought better of it. Instead the ended up folded in front of him. "I mean it was stupid, building the rest of my life around you. No one finds the love of their life when she stops their heart walking in to their kindergarten classroom."  
  
Connie flushed, flattered. It wasn't often that she was seen beyond a girl jock. "It's not really stupid. But you did? Plan your life around me?"  
  
"Yeah." Guy wasn't looking at her, and pulled his shoulder in a careless shrug. "It's just some stupid thing."  
  
"Tell me about it?"  
  
He gave her a look that said he thought she was crazy. Knowing she could get it out of him, she pouted and then grinned when he sighed.  
  
"Fine. We were going to get married on a hockey rink, I'd just won the Stanley cup. You were coaching a local girls hockey team while trying to get Women's hockey made professional. And we'd be wearing our hockey jerseys, me my dark one, you a light one. And I told you it was stupid."  
  
Connie could almost see it. It was probably something he had decided when they were ten and had never deviated from. "It's sweet. I would have had to put my foot down and do it my way," she told him flatly, and got a laugh out of him, "but still sweet."  
  
Guy's laughter died out and she caught him biting his lip. "So, I'm guessing we're friends again?"  
  
Connie smiled at him in reassurance. It never made any sense to her how a guy like Guy, who was gorgeous and exceptionally talented, could be so insecure at sometimes. "I don't think we ever weren't. Not really."  
  
He grinned back at her. "Sounds good to me. Just one request."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Guy looked pensive all of a sudden and he looked out at her with serious eyes. "I don't want to know about guys in your life alright? Not yet at least."  
  
"Alright," Connie said with a nod. She'd known that would be it, and she understood. It was something she would have wanted had the roles been reversed.  
  
"Cool," he said, sending her a lopsided grin she'd missed all too much. Connie tried to block out the feelings of longing that were sprouting up inside her.  
  
"Want to go shoot around? We've got a massive hole to fill in the next few games, we should probably practice."  
  
Connie smiled at him. "I'll skate circles around you Germaine."  
  
"We'll see. You're not bad," he paused a beat before adding, "for a girl."  
  
Connie narrowed her eyes playfully as she jumped to her feet. "I'm not a girl, I'm a Duck."  
  
"You're both," Guy said smiling back at her. "It's what makes you good."  
  
Adam couldn't help the bitter feelings that were flowing through him. It was a beautiful late February day and while his friends got to hang out and do as they pleased he was stuck in a white sanitary room with a tiny rectangle for a window. It felt like a prison and he wondered what crime he had committed to get sentenced here.  
  
He was shaken out of his thoughts by his mother asking, "Do you want me to stay sweetie? Because I can."  
  
Adam looked up from his spot on the bed. She was still standing by the closet where she had been putting away some of his clothes. He could see the worry lines that were beginning to cover her face and got the distinct impression that she wanted to be here just as much as he did. "It's alright Mom. You have places to be."  
  
"No I don't, really. I just--"  
  
"Go," he interrupted. "I'll be fine."  
  
She came over and hugged him gently. He could tell she wanted to hold him tighter but was probably too afraid to hold him any tighter as if she would break him. He hated that treatment from just about everyone. Julie had missed the opportunity to sock him in the shoulder earlier, something she never did. He didn't want things to change between him and everyone else because his body had decided to attack him.  
  
He waved her out the door and then sat down on his bed. The other side of the room that he figured must belong to his roommate had flowers and a few pictures. Adam decided he might as well take out some stuff to make his side of the room less dreary.  
  
A few minutes later an orderly came in the door with a boy in a wheelchair. The orderly left him in the middle of the room, gave Adam a smile and a nod before backing out.  
  
The other boy stood rather shakily and managed to make it to his bed. Eventually he turned his head towards Adam and extended a hand. "Hey, you must be Adam. Jamie."  
  
"Hey," Adam said, taking the guy's hand and shaking it. They dropped hands and just sort of watched each other. Uncomfortable Adam spoke again. "Sorry, I'm not exactly sure what to say."  
  
"It's alright. Not much one can say."  
  
Adam sat on his own bed. "So what are you in for?"  
  
Jamie laughed a bit. "That's what it feels like doesn't it. Second go round with Leukemia. You?"  
  
"Non-hodgkins lymphoma."  
  
"Lovely." Jamie's gaze began to fall over all of the stuff Adam had laid out, hockey, pictures of the team, of his family, of Julie. "Whoa, knockout there."  
  
Adam looked at the picture of the smiling blond girl. "Yeah. That's Julie."  
  
"Cheerleader?"  
  
Adam looked at the picture he'd put out on the bed stand and tried to equate the word cheerleader with the girl in the picture. He burst out laughing. "Please," he managed through gasps, picturing the look on Julie's face if she were called a cheerleader, "never ever let her hear you say that."  
  
"What? I figured guys like you dated cheerleaders."  
  
That stopped his laughter. "Guys like me?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Jocks," Jamie clarified.  
  
"Some sure," he said with a shrug. "Luis mostly. Julie is the goalie on my hockey team. Best in our league really. Best all around."  
  
"For now."  
  
Adam heard the comment and chose to ignore it. He didn't want to think of things that way, but a part of him already was. Here he was, trapped in a place where time only mattered for sleeping, eating and medication, while the world outside was going to pass him by. It really felt like only a matter of time 


End file.
